


Finite Destiny

by Skye



Category: Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, F/F, Saikoroshi-hen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2009-09-03
Updated: 2009-09-05
Packaged: 2017-10-04 20:37:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skye/pseuds/Skye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rika's implications of love are rejected and discarded by Satoko, helping plant the seeds for something else entirely.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Seed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika's implications of love are rejected and discarded by Satoko, helping plant the seeds for something else entirely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of my AU of Higurashi Rei. This uses events of Higurashi Rei, but branches away from canon at the end. It does not go along with background we have about the series before Rei, and will end up going against canon. That's why it's an AU.

"I can't find it... I can't find it!" Satoko shouted in frustration. She stomped her foot against the grassy ground and threw her notebook to the side.

Coming front behind a tree, Rika noticed the object at Satoko's feet. "Mii," she said, and came and picked it up. Rika smiled gently as she handed the notebook back to Satoko. "There you go."

"Thanks. But this is impossible."

"What are you having trouble with? I can help you," Rika assured.

Satoko folded her arms and looked away. "You're really eager, aren't you? Why don't you worry more about your own work?"

"Already finished," Rika said, the happy expression not fading from her face.

"Well... I guess I don't mind helping with your boredom problem," Satoko said. She took out the list, complete with small pictures and descriptions. "This one. I can't find it at all."

"Oh, a dandelion! That one's easy," Rika said. She walked only a short distance away, and came back with a puffy white flower.

"Are you stupid?" Satoko said. She pointed at the picture of the bright yellow flower. "It's this pretty one, not that ugly one!"

"That's right," Rika said. "This is the same plant! The dandelion turns into this fluffy thing..."

"Eh?" Satoko made an expression of disbelief.

"It's true, I won't lie to you, Satoko-chan," Rika insisted calmly. "It's in the description, right here, see?" Rika pointed to a specific line of text.

"Oh... I see now. I guess you're right."

"Mii," Rika chirped, breaking out into a wide grin.

Rika's joyful reaction took Satoko by surprise. She'd often get the right answers when a teacher asked her, so what was with this enthusiasm? Satoko was puzzled. It wasn't as if being right was a rare occurrence for Rika, the way it was for her.

"Satoko-chan, do you like dandelions?" Rika asked.

"Yeah.... The other kind, this kind looks strange. How does it change into the nicer kind of dandelion?"

"Did you read about it, Satoko?" Rika asked. Satoko flinched, but Rika continued without noticing. "These are the seeds. It's the yellow flower that changed into this. But I guess it does eventually change back... These seeds will eventually grow and make yellow flowers grow again."

Satoko watched as Rika blew on the dandelion, causing the various seeds to float away.

"Ah!" Satoko said in surprise. "I've done that before, I think."

"Have you? You've helped the dandelions spread, then," Rika said. She blushed a little, and began to hold her own notebook close. "You know... I also like dandelions."

"Hm?" Satoko said, not really interested.

"That's right. They kind of remind me of you, Satoko-chan. They're bright and lively. They're also tough and difficult to get rid of. They're weeds to gardeners! But I like them... I also like you, Satoko-chan."

Satoko looked over at Rika. Satoko herself blushed, and then looked away. "Come on, you're even making me embarrassed. But I like you too, Rika-chan. It's nice to have a smart friend like you." Satoko looked over at Rika, who was grinning, and looked very please. "But can you go now? I don't want everyone to say I just copied off of you, okay?"

"I understand. See you soon, Satoko-chan!" Rika ran over giggling happily.

Satoko turned back to her work and sighed. Maybe she should have asked Rika at least a little more help. She really wasn't that good at this. All the other various planets seemed just as difficult to find. After a few hours of work, Satoko thought she heard someone calling for her.

"Satoko-chan! Rika-chan! Everyone's waiting for you!"

Rika? Wouldn't she have been the first to return? Satoko looked around with worry, only to see Rika running her way, waving. "Satoko-chan!" she called.

Despite calls in the other direction for her, Satoko paused to wait. "Everyone's worried about you, you know," she informed as Rika caught up with her.

"Oh... Sorry," Rika said. "I was looking, and I found some dandelion flowers for you..."

"Oh..." Satoko said. The flowers were actually very easy to find, as it seemed they were all she could find while looking for everything else.

"I wanted to make a crown... But this is as far as I got," Rika sheepishly held up a small dandelion chain. "Will you take it anyway?"

"Ah... Sure," Satoko said.

Rika happily tied the chain around a lock of Satoko's hair. "It really suits you, Satoko-chan!"

"Thanks," Satoko said, and Rika only beamed further.

"Satoko-chan! Rika-chan! There you are."

A group of classmates approached them. "Let me see, Satoko-chan!"

A girl grabbed Satoko's notebook away from her. "Look, look, these are no good. I don't think you even found half the things you were supposed to find."

"Really? I saw Rika-chan helping her, too!"

"With even Rika-chan's help, she's this incompetent?"

"How pathetic."

Satoko scowled at everyone. She looked over at Rika, who also frowned. "Come on everyone," she said. "Chie-sensei must be worried about us," Rika said.

In an attempt to distract everyone, Rika began to walk away from the crowd, and back toward the meeting point. The others certainly weren't about to shut up, though, Satoko thought with a clenched fist. In a moment of anger, she put her foot up, and sent Rika toppling to the ground.

"Well," Satoko began. "I couldn't get it done, you see? I had to help out Furude. While she's smart at some things, she's just awful at others. She's completely incompetent when it comes to direction, for instance. I had to look all over to find her... That's why I'm late."

"You spent the whole time looking for her?"

"And that's why you didn't really finish anything?"

"Well..." Satoko began, her face feeling hot. "That's not all! That stupid girl was always interrupting me. She couldn't even bother to find her own dandelion!"

That story wasn't exactly airtight either, but the other girls bought it, Satoko noticed with some pleasure. "That's terrible, Rika!" they said to her. "Is that how you get such good grades? Always depending on someone else?"

"Who knows," Satoko said, a self-satisfied smile coming over her face. This wasn't the nicest thing to do, she knew, but at least she'd know that Rika would never hate her. No matter what stupid things Satoko had done in the past, Rika was always as cheerful as ever to her, encouraging her to fight on, and praising her efforts. Someone like Rika wouldn't hesitate to take the fall for her. A good friend like Rika would always be...

Shaking. Rika was shaking, Satoko just noticed now as she watched Rika use her hands to push herself up. "She's crying," a boy who would see her face announced.

"I feel sorry for her," another boy said.

When Rika stood up, she turned around, and Satoko could see her tear-filled face. "Satoko-chan," she said. It was a silent, subtle plea.

I'm sorry, Satoko wanted to say. But she looked at those around her, and saw how the situation could easily become worse, and didn't apologize.

"What's this? You think you can use tears to get out of anything?" Satoko said instead.

"You're the worst kind of person, Furude."

"Hey! What's holding you up?" an older student called.

"Come on Satoko-chan, let's go."

"Yeah..." Satoko said. As the other girl tugged her by the arm, she felt the dandelions slip off on her hair. She knocked them ahead and then stepped on them. Looking behind her, Satoko saw Rika's already crestfallen expression further twist and distort with a new kind of pain. It was ugly, so Satoko looked away.

Years later, Rika and Satoko still hadn't made up, and Satoko had given up hope that they ever would. It seemed like Rika would rather stay around boys who would be her servants. She'd even stay completely alone rather than ever make up with her, Satoko noticed with some anger. What did she think she was proving by acting like such a snob? Rika was such a snob that she wasn't even sure she would like to be her friend again, Satoko eventually decided.

Everyone else always saw fit to ignore her, but Satoko always tried her best to get Rika's attention in one way or another.

"You don't need to use so much force, Satoko-chan," one of her classmates said as they tossed the ball back toward Satoko.

"What's this?" Satoko said, spying a look at Rika, who was wrapped in her own solitude as usual. "You can't take this lady's soft throw? That won't do."

"But Satoko-"

"That won't do. I'll just have to return this using my super toss! Prepare yourself!" Satoko got in a position to throw the ball back.

"Satoko-"

Satoko tossed the ball as hard as she could. Instead of her frightened playmate catching it, it hit the exact spot she'd been aiming for -- the back of Rika's head.

Rika's body fell forward, and then slammed against the ground. She was obviously out cold. Satoko and the others just stared for a moment.

"Rika!" Satoshi called, and ran toward Rika.

"I-" Satoko began, but then stopped.

"Satoko, you need to be more careful," Satoshi chided.

Satoko remained silent in the background as others observed Rika and Satoshi ran away to get help. "Rika-chan..." she muttered to herself. Darn it, she hadn't meant for her to get hurt... At least not this much.


	2. Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mion's new club has its first meeting, and Satoko notices that Rika continues to act strangely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rather than rewrite all of Rei, I have a slight time skip over known events.

"Nii Nii, will Rika-chan really be there?" Satoko asked as she and Satoshi wandered toward the classroom.

"I'm fairly sure, Satoko. You will show her a little of your kindness, won't you?"

"What?" Satoko said disdainfully. "Is Rika-chama really so fragile that we have to tip toe around her?" She certainly hadn't seemed that way in the classroom the other day. It turned out that Rika did have a backbone, and could do things for herself.

"Fragile? With what she's been saying, that could be true," Satoshi admitted.

"Eh?" Satoko blinked with confusion.

"Never mind," Satoshi said as he slid open the classroom door. "Good afternoon, everyone."

Satoko peered from behind him and into the room. Inside, several desks had been pushed together to create three separate playing tables as random squares in the room. Reina sat with her back to everyone, Mion was looking through her locker, and Rika was also there, facing the door. She soon noticed her and Satoshi standing there, and smiled normally at them. Satoko felt a little relieved, but also a little confused. Rika had been acting strange lately, almost like a different person. When Rika had attacked her, maybe she'd had a reason to, but still, the Rika who spoke to her then seemed weird, almost like a demon version of Rika. But now, it seemed that the normal Rika was back.

As Mion turned around from her locker, she noticed them as well. "Oh. Hey, come in, you two. We're really going to have fun today."

"What game do you have today, Mion-san?" Rika asked cheerfully.

"Checkers. I figure we'll have a tournament. First, I'll explain to you how to play, then-"

"I already know the rules," Rika said.

"Oh. Really?" Mion said.

"Yes, I certainly do," Rika confirmed.

"I see. Maybe there's no need then. Does everyone else already understand?"

Satoshi and Reina nodded, and Satoko also did hesitantly. Though she hadn't played the game at all before, she wasn't about to be shown up by Rika.

"Well then, let's begin. One person will have to sit out each round though, seeing as it's a two person game. First, it's Reina."

"And for the first game, I'll challenge Rika-chama!" Satoko said.

"Satoko..." Satoshi said hesitantly.

Satoko looked and saw the older club members looking tense. She furrowed her brow. "What is it?" she said. The others hesitated again, and Satoko tapped her footed and glared in the direction of her brother.

"Ah, it's just.... I think I'm the first to play against Rika-chan," Satoshi said.

"That's right. Maybe I should make a schedule," Mion said.

"Put me against Rika first," Satoko said.

Rika laughed softly, using the otherworldly low tone that Satoko had heard before. The others soon stared at her. "Interesting, Satoko," Rika said. "I wonder what it would be like to play a fresh game against you after so long. I doubt it would be fair fight... Maybe I should play against Satoshi." Rika smiled, but her expression was still melancholy, and very unsettling to Satoko. Could it be that the other Rika had returned?

Satoko made it a point to stand up straighter than usual. She wasn't going to be scared by this other Rika. Her initial appearance had been startling at first, maybe even frightening, but the same surprise attack wouldn't work again. Besides, there was no point in being scared. It was the same Rika she'd always known, after all. "I can't promise I'll take it easy on you, Rika-chama," she said. Rika narrowed her eyes at Satoko, and Satoko did the same, still with a smile on her face.

"Right, right!" Mion interrupted the exchange and grabbed Satoko by the arm. "Satoko is my opponent first and foremost," Mion insisted, and then dragged her away from Rika.

"But," Satoko said. Before she could protest further, she was seated down across from Mion and the game began. Since Satoko didn't really know how to play, she tried to copy Mion's movements to begin with.

"If you think you can beat me by mirroring me, you're in for a surprise," Mion said.

Suddenly one of her pieces was removed from the board. "Eh? Why did that happen?" Satoko asked.

"You didn't see it?" Reina, who was observing their game, asked.

"No, I definitely didn't."

Mion explained the move, and Satoko began to figure out the rules quickly. Despite that, Mion was a talented player, and soon beat her. Satoshi and Rika's game took a little while longer. Satoko didn't bother to approach her, but saw her troubled expression and smirked. It seemed that Rika was also going to lose.

"We're finished," Satoshi said.

"And?" Mion said.

"Rika won," Satoshi said.

"What's that?" Satoko protested.

"Heh, seems that neither of the Houjou siblings are very good at this, huh?" Mion teased.

"That has nothing to do with it! This time-" Satoko began.

"You sit out as the loser this time Satoko, okay?" Mion said. "I'll play Rika, as we're bother winners, and it's Reina's turn to get in and play against Satoshi."

The set of games began, and Satoko was left alone. She wanted to wander over to look at Rika and Mion's game, but Satoshi repeatedly called her back. Feeling bored, Satoko wandered the classroom more and eventually noticed an unopened box of the same game on another desk.

"Ah, Satoko," Mion called. "That was just in case a sixth member showed up, but one didn't, so we have an extra set."

"I'll use it to strategize, then," Satoko said.

It took a little while longer for the games to end. First Reina won against Satoshi, and again the game with Rika took a little longer. Once they had finished, Satoko saw Rika sitting with a dark expression. Given Mion's skill level and Rika's disposition, Satoko was sure that Mion had won again.

"Winners of round two, Reina and Rika," Mion said.

"Mion, you lost?" Satoko said, astonished.

"Yes, Rika-chan's on a real winning streak," Mion said.

Satoko's eyes went back to Rika, who looked away, seeming bored. Satoko slammed her hands against the desk in front to get Rika's attention. "Your luck ends now. It's time for the two of us to begin our game."

"Um," Mion began. "I think it's Reina's turn to play against Rika, as winners. You can play against your brother."

"No way," Satoko insisted.

"Satoko," Satoshi began, but Rika interrupted.

"Hey, Mion-san? I'd also be interested in playing against Satoko-chan, so can't we switch things around?" Rika asked this with a smile on her face, which soon spread to the others, and then Mion nodded in agreement.

"That's fine," Mion agreed.

Satoko now sat across from Rika, setting up the game by placing her own pieces in every other square box. She looked and saw Rika doing the same thing. Rika had always been one of the smarter students in the class, Satoko recalled. That precociousness could easily have translated into playing games. But that didn't matter, Satoko decided. Because after all, she did have a strategy.

The game began, and things were even at first, but then Rika gained a slight lead. Satoko took a while deciding her next move, and Satoshi, who had been watching their game, wandered over to the other girls as soon as this occurred. Satoko looked up from the game board, and at Rika's face. Her expression seemed more peaceful now as she looked at the game board, but still determined. She wanted to win, Satoko saw, but not as bad as Satoko herself wanted to.

"Rika-chan," Satoko said.

"Hm?" Rika said.

"What did you mean when you said I had the face of your best friend?"

"That.... Never mind that. For this moment here, I've decided to pretend that you really are my best friend," Rika said.

"You're being really weird," Satoko said.

"Perhaps," Rika said.

Satoko had begun her turn during their conversation, and now took her hand away from the game board. "Your turn," she said.

Rika looked back at the board, and her expression changed to puzzlement.

"Is something wrong, Rika-chama?" Satoko said.

"Nothing you don't know about, as I see you moved things around and added pieces while distracting me."

"What an accusation you're making! But I would never do anything like that, so I'm certain there's no way you can prove it."

Rika looked furious now, and glared at Satoko, but Satoko only glared with the same intensity in return. She wasn't going to be intimidated.

"I'll forgive you for your rudeness, so just make your move, Rika-chama," Satoko said.

Rika clenched her fist, but then suddenly she relaxed, and grinned in a way that made Satoko uneasy.

"Thinking about tattling on me?" Satoko said disdainfully. "Well-"

"No," Rika interrupted. "I'm thinking about doing what you said, proving it. You see, when we set up our pieces to begin with, we have twelve of them. And how many do you have now?"

Satoko counted quickly. Thirteen. Rika had her there. "Fine, I guess you can go ahead and tattle then, with your proof."

"No, I'd rather just continue to play. So change it back to how it was before."

Satoko paused for a moment of thought, then scratched her head. "I don't remember exactly how it was," she said. Satoko supposed that Rika must. With how smart she was, she likely had the board memorized. "Why don't you just change it?"

But Rika surprised her. "I also don't remember," she said.

"Hm," Satoko said, a grin returning to her face. "Then why don't you also add that pieces to the board? Then things can be equal."

"But-" Rika began.

"Here," Satoko said, and handed Rika all of the captured pieces plus one.

"Thank you," Rika said, immediately noticing the amount. She quickly placed the new pieces on the board. With so many pieces placed haphazardly around the board, the game progressed quickly. Satoko took some time with her moved, but Rika moved immediately. Satoko saw what looked to be true enjoyment on her face. It really was good to see, but still, she wasn't going to give a win away.

Rika jumped another piece, then sat back and relaxed. "It's my win, she said.

"What are you talking about? It's not over yet."

"I-" Rika began then noticed the board. "You tried the same trick again? No, wait-"

Satoko moved her hand to the board and used her forgotten piece to jump all of Rika's remaining few pieces. "It's my win! I beat you!"

"Don't brag so much, Satoko," Satoshi gently reprimanded his sister. "It looked like the two of you were having fun, is that true, Rika-chan?"

"Yes," Rika said seriously. "Thank you, Satoko-chan. Even if you did it out of scorn instead of out of love the way the real Satoko would have... I really enjoyed this game."

"The real Satoko?" Satoko repeated.

"But the rest of you, I'm disappointed. I don't know Satoshi as well as the rest of you, but the Mion I know never, never would have given away a win. She always gave it everything she had."

Mion looked embarrassed. "Oh... Well, that was..."

"Ah!" Satoko realized what Rika had just said. "You let her win?"

Mion blushed at the obvious, but still avoided the question.

"Nii Nii, did you too?"

"It doesn't matter," Rika said. "The four of you are... You're not the friends I left behind. These club meetings, well, I don't think I should stay for them," Rika said. She stood up and took her bag.

"Rika-chan, wait," Mion said.

"Good-bye," Rika said.

Satoko watched Rika calmly walk out, then looked back at the others, who seemed to be a mix of frustrated and concerned.

"She's still talking about that, isn't she?" Reina said.

"Yes... I get a definite impression of 'that'," Mion agreed.

"It's really troubling," Satoshi said.

"That? What do you mean?" Satoko asked.

"It's nothing, Satoko. Don't worry about it," Mion said.

"That's right, why don't you start to head home," Satoshi suggested, and began to push Satoko toward the door.

"But, our games,"

"Maybe we'll continue them later," Mion said.

"Go home now Satoko, and don't play around on the way," Satoshi said. As the door closed, Satoko waited on the other side. Satoshi soon opened it again. "Go home, Satoko," he said.

"Fine," Satoko agreed, and began to walk down the hall, though she still wondered what they were talking about, and likely continuing to talk about, and for that matter, what was up with Rika's latest strange behaviors. As she reached the door, she saw Rika standing there, changing her shoes. As Rika was the center of all this weirdness, maybe she had all the answers, Satoko considered.


End file.
